CHENNAI: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has filed a report in the tender scam case against former minister SP Velumani, before the Madras High Court, explaining the 19-month delay in obtaining the union government's sanction to prosecute two IAS officers accused in the case.

During the previous AIADMK regime, when SP Velumani served as the Minister for Municipal Administration, the DVAC registered a case alleging irregularities worth Rs 98.25 crore in awarding various contracts in the Chennai and Coimbatore Corporations.

A contempt petition had been filed by Arappor Iyakkam against the DVAC for failing to comply with an earlier court order directing the department to file a chargesheet in the case.

Hearing the matter earlier, the High Court had ordered DVAC to explain why it took 19 months to seek a sanction from the Central Government to prosecute the two IAS officers involved.

When the case came up for hearing before Justice N Anand Venkatesh, the DVAC's counsel E Raj Thilak appeared and submitted separate petitions filed by the three investigating officers, Myilvaganan, S Vimala, and Dongare Pravin Umesh, explaining the delay in seeking sanction to prosecute the two IAS officers.

Following this, the judge directed Arappor Iyakkam to file a submission to these petitions and adjourned the hearing to December 15.